


Three Words

by Nupitrr



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff, Its so cute im gonna die, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-03-19 05:30:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3598179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nupitrr/pseuds/Nupitrr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This idea has been simmering in my head for ages now so I've finally begun to write it out.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Affection

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been simmering in my head for ages now so I've finally begun to write it out.

He would never be prepared enough for what was to come. Not now, especially not before, but maybe a little more afterwards-- by then it will be too late anyway. But he had his attention now, and there would be no later. Levi glowered at him, not at all helping the excessive anxiety that already threatened to rip Eren's chest open. He'd been holding a salute for at least three minutes; his body frozen, mind unsure on how to act.

"What is it, Jäeger?" Fuck he spoke. His eyes followed the fluid motion of his lips, slightly chapped; the rise and fall of his bare chest, glistening with sweat from a workout he'd interrupted. Anything but those damn piercing eyes.

"Would it be alright if I asked you something?"

"I'll assume that wasn't what you wanted to ask." His arms finally fell back to his sides, numb and limp. The conversation he'd gone over a million times in his head, thinking of virtually every scenarios, every ending and any moods that Levi could possibly be in. He'd prepared different things to say for any occasion, but it still didn't make him feel any more prepared. Hell, there was _nothing_ that could prepare him mentally for this. Because Levi was unpredictable.

There wasn't a mind in the world that could correctly predict any thought in his head. That was one of the most nerve-wracking factors in all of this and it made him feel more shitty every second. The shallow breaths he'd been taking collected into one big huff of air. He collected those scattered thoughts, forming them into a coherent question.

"Is there any chance that you'd be willing to have a relationship with me?"

Silence. The worst silence in his whole life. All he could hear was the painful drumming of his heart and the slight, panicked breaths he took as he kept his eyes on Levi. Severe eyes held his silently, digesting what he'd heard, creating a valid response.

He wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. A clear "yes" or "no" would be nice. He feared that Levi would lash out at him, scolding him, perhaps even _punishing_ him for it. But there was that part of him that held onto the the thought that maybe he wouldn’t be furious. In fact, maybe he’d be fine with it-- hell, he might even be pleasantly surprised! His recurring delusion was a rather satisfying one; Levi would give him one brief, chaste kiss before whispering one word: “Yes.” That, by far, was his most far-fetched fantasy, and he kept it tucked away in the recesses of his mind.

Lost in his own delusions, he didn't even register that Levi's mouth was moving. Fuck, what did he say? He licked his lips nervously and gave a pitiful look, a quiet plea. Levi rolled his eyes but repeated.

"What do you mean by ''relationship?'" His voice was surprisingly calm. Thankfully.

"Like the...the romantic kind, sir." Oh god, He sounded so feeble. What happened to all of that gusto he had? The gravity of it all must've finally dawned on him. Something in his expression shifted, showing more apprehension and even more disbelief than before.

"Is this some kind of joke amongst you and your friends?" His voice was subliminally malign, to test the integrity of his subordinate. But he didn't waver, though he did flinch. He didn't laugh or smile, and he showed no signs of doubt. This kid, this _shitty fucking brat_ , was speaking seriously. Of fucking course.

This wasn't what he'd signed up for when he woke up today.

He sighed and he gestured for Eren to come to him. It was a wonder how his legs carried him towards Levi, down to the floor. They were both silent, Levi thinking over his words, Eren anxiously awaiting a response. He was trying his damndest not to snap at the kid-- he looked ready to piss himself already-- and just figure out what was going on in his head.

"Where the hell did this come from?" He started, leaning back against the wall. 

"I'm not quite sure myself, sir. It was just kind of a realization that I...like you. I don't know how to make it go away, so I'm just acting upon it." Well atleast he was honest about it. Levi scoffed, unable to keep himself from rolling his eyes at such naïevity.

"You can't just make affection for someone go away y'know." He paused, thought out his words again. "You do know that I'm far older than you."

That wasn't a no, nor was it a yes; it was, however, some sort of progress, at least he hoped so. He seemed to be entertaining the idea far longer than Eren ever expected him to. How long would it be before he gave up on this charade?

"With all due respect sir, you can't be _that_ much older than me, right?"

"You have no idea how old I am, brat. Twice your age if not more." Sweet Maria, he wasn't kidding. It was hard to hide the shock in his eyes; Levi merely nodded at him as he acknowledged the same expression everyone had when they realized his age. This kid was probably put off by that, the thought of dating an "old guy" just too off-putting. But now he was shaking his head, whether to clear the cobwebs from his mind or to give a response he wasn't sure of.

"I don't really care about that, sir. I'm still quite fond of you." This goddamn cockroach just doesn't know when to die does he? Levi sighed, his muscles fatigued and his mind still processing what Eren was saying, trying to work out how this could possibly work. No harm done in trying.

"Okay."

Silence. Questions filled those turquoise eyes, unanswered and begging to be spoken. He blinked twice before his eyebrows came together in confusion.

"What do you mean by 'okay?'"

"That I'll go along with what you're saying. If only for now. There are no rules about relationships between officers and cadets, so I assume there should be no technical issues with this." _And I find you quite attractive too._ He had to keep himself from saying that part. The sheer joy in Eren's eyes was overwhelming. He felt something in his chest flutter with his delighted expression.

"Thank you, Corporal." 

Levi waved a hand dismissively at him. He rose slowly from the ground--oh god every part of him hurt!-- and stretched, feeling his joints pop and his body readjust itself. Eren stood silently, unsure of what to do next. He felt relieved, his restless mind finally silenced. His eyes followed Levi to his desk where his shirt was neatly folded and waiting for his return.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you for so long." He unfolded the shirt and slid his arms into the sleeves, adjusting the collar before buttoning each white button.

"Its fine Eren. I have other things to attend to for the day, however, so I must ask you to leave. I'll see you at dinner, Jäeger." He couldn't help but smile some. Levi was never overly friendly to him, and he'd never expect to hear _ask you to leave_ be directed at him in such a calm manner. He gave him a quick salute and left, though he knew that it wasn't seen; they weren't facing each other.

As he tucked his shirt in, Levi watched the door close and sighed. A relationship with someone like Jäeger? Had he gone completely _batshit_? What next, making friends with the Military Police?

What had he gotten himself into?


	2. Hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Considering that I've fallen out of love with this ship, I might not update it a lot. However I will finish this story. Spent way too much time plotting it out to just throw it away. This and one other Levi/Eren fic that I've spent quite a while on for a different reason will be my last entries into this ship. Not the end of my snk fics though.

Levi, Hange, and Erwin always got to the dining hall a few minutes before food began to be served. It was in this time that the room was perfectly silent, and they could have conversations about anything. Most days it was important information. Other times it was just whatever came to mind.

"Did you know that Connie can do more push up consecutively than Jean, but Sasha can beat them both in running?" Hange took their glasses off and wiped them down with a cloth. Levi and Erwin exchanged equally confused looks while they weren't looking.

"Is that how you spent your day? Judging the cadets' basic fitness?" They nodded as they slid their glasses back onto their face. Erwin shrugged, taking a sip of tea. It was better than doing nothing, he assumed.

"At least you did something interesting; all I did was sign papers and write letters. I need to get an okay on our next expedition so I can continue mapping out our plan with Arlert." 

Ad if on cue, Armin stepped through the door leading to the dining hall, followed by Mikasa and Eren on either side. The rest of the cadets were quick to file in afterwards and sit in their usual seats. They had no designated seating arrangements, but over time they'd developed a degree of order. Eren would sit next to Levi, with mikasa to his right and Armin to her's. It made it so that Armin and Erwin could talk to each other across the table without disturbing others.

Eren kept his eyes on Levi the entire time he made his way towards his seat. He could feel the eyes on him, and he had half a mind to spit out some snarky comment: "Enjoying the view?" or "Its impolite to stare, Jäeger" sounded about right now. Instead he stayed quiet and looked up to meet his gaze when he sat down. 

Eren smiled, and those eyes seemed satisfied.

"Good evening, captain." Levi nodded in response, keeping silent. God forbid he blurt out something dumb or overtly offensive. He wanted to leave a good impression on the kid. With his impulsive nature, he'd be sure to say something stupid this early in the night.

Wait, was he trying to _impress_ Eren?

With a sigh, he snatched his teacup off the table right as two cadets burst through the door with the first plates of food in hand. Springer and Lenz, then names registered for the faces without much hesitation. He took a sip of his tea and a gratuitous glance to his right, giving Eren about her look over before returning to staring off at a wall.

"How has your day been, sir?" It took him a minute to realize Eren was speaking to him. He placed the teacup on the table and cleared his throat softly, turning to face Eren. It was almost cute how his eyes lit up when Levi gave him his full attention. 

"Relatively uneventful, nothing happened after you paid me a visit." There was a slight pink tint in his cheeks as the memory of that afternoon came back to him. Before he could stutter out a response he was passed a plate of food, and his attention was in eating instead. 

It wasn't hard to see the glances he took towards Levi, smiling to himself with each one. Half of the time he ended up stabbing himself in the cheek with his fork because he was too busy looking everywhere but his food. Every once in awhile Hange would see him do it and laugh to themself before losing interest again.

Eren watched them pass around the plate with desserts on iit. He stole another glance to his left before looking up again. Levi's hand laid open on his lap as he sipped his tea. He'd seen him use both hands interchangeably for a long time now; it was a safe bet to say he was ambidextrous. It only took one hand to eat, so he wouldn't mind if he just...borrowed the other one, would he?

His hand reached beneath the table and took Levi's hand. He kept his eyes on his food and groped around until his fingers fit into the spaces between Levi's. In the corner of his eye he saw him freeze, glance down at his lap. Was he gonna let go? He opened his mouth to speak but stopped and shook his head. Well he wasn't furious, but there was no way to tell what he was thinking. Eren squeezed his hand ardently as he took another bite of food, cautiously watching Levi.

Well he had no complaints about the situation. There was something that just felt correct about the feeling of their hands like this together. When Eren was distracted with other conversations--some sort of strange jealousy must've prompted him, he'd later assume--Levi gave his hand a firm squeeze. He watched Eren pause mid sentence, his breath catching for a minute. He forced himself to keep his eyes in Armin and not glance down at his hand.

"You alright Eren?" His attention was finally back on Armin after being overwhelmed by the flood of _holy shit he's really holding my hand holy shit he's really holding my hand holy shi--_ and he found it in him to nod.

"Yeah,it just felt like I had to sneeze. Just never came out." Smooth comeback Jäeger, smooth. It was definitely one of the better excuses he'd ever made. He hardly dwelled on his winning excuse as he squeezed Levi's hand again, waited patiently. It had probably just been his hand flexing to stretch or something of that nature last time. Levi wouldn't do anything like that on purpose. After all he'd been the one who was least interested in entertaining Eren's wishes of a relationship. Why would he strive to do something like _holy hell he squeezed back again.  
_  
This time Eren stole a look out of his peripheral at Levi, who spared him a lazy glance before turning back to his side of the table. He hardly noticed it, but there was a certain giddiness in his voice now. It wasn't as if Eren wasn't more or less the glass-half-full thinker in the group, but it was unusual and seemingly came out of nowhere. Not that anyone complained.

He could feel his pulse race every time he felt pressure on his hand. One thing was for sure, Levi had one hell of a grip. It was almost difficult to breathe whenever he would squeeze his hand back or send a glance back his direction.

As juvenile as he felt, the attention was enjoyable to say the least. He could tell that both of them were content with the situation. Levi was obviously not one for romance on a daily basis, so the change of pace made something in him feel _warm, really fucking warm._ So warm that it was almost uncomfortable, but he didn't want to stop because what was wrong with really fucking warm anyway?

The rest of the evening was spent squeezing each other's hands, memorizing the scars and grooves and the pleasant warmth that came from each grip. Had there been a time where Eren had been any happier than that moment? Perhaps, but at the time it didn't matter because here and now, _this_ was his happiness.


	3. Spilled Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions grow stronger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao it's been nearly a year since I posted chapter two because! I have such disinterest in this fic now!!! Sorry guys, I'll try my best to get my shit together and finish it off.

Hand holding was the only sign that Levi ever gave him that would suggest an interest in their relationship. At every meal they would sit next to each other and hold hands beneath the table. Aside from that, their interactions hadn't changed in the slightest.

He was foolish to think that Levi would be interested in him. Only Eren got those nauseating butterflies when he heard his name from Levi's mouth. Levi didn't become giddy anytime they were in the same room together. Trying to become involved with Levi wasn't alleviating his emotions, and this pining was leading nowhere.

An entire month passed like this; Eren wanting to make advances with Levi yet holding back. Levi seeming apathetic to the whole situation, going along with whatever Eren wanted if it kept him happy. And it did. The past month had been the best he had felt in years. Even if it was one-sided, it felt good to pretend it wasn't.

Hange was well aware of Eren's attraction. It was almost impossible to miss, especially with how many tests they ran on Eren. If Levi so much as came into the room while they experimented on him, Eren's heart rate would spike and he would flush. Maybe it was for research or maybe it was just because they were a sucker for romance, but Hange made it their duty to try and push the two of them together

That was how Eren ended up knocking on Levi's door after training that afternoon. In his hands he cradled a tray with a teapot and cups on it. Hange had asked him to bring Levi his tea, making the hasty--albeit all too true--assumption that Eren would be headed in his direction As soon as possible. It was kinda exciting though, having the privilege to bring him his tea was something he never thought he’d have.

When he opened the door to a shirtless Levi, it was less shocking and more of a visual feast. He toweled off his forehead and looked up at the door from the ground and gave a brief nod to Eren, who kicked the door shut behind himself.

“Well you're not who I was expecting to see.” His breathing hinted at whatever he’d been doing before. His tone wasn't as condescending as he’d expected. He sounded oddly neutral towards Eren. Or maybe he was imagining things.

“Yeah, they sent me ‘cause they thought I was heading in this direction anyway.”

“Well were you?”

“I mean yeah of course.” Levi cocked an eyebrow at his uncertain words, but he didn't press further. Eren sat the tray on the floor and set out a few cups next to him. He tried to recall what Hange had told him to do; three scoops of the white powder, then tea and stir.

His hand shook slightly as he took the teaspoon from the small bowl and scooped out three spoonfuls into Levi's cup, gently tapping the rim with finality in the last one. He could feel Levi staring at him. Now was not the time for shaky hands and being nervous. All he wanted was to pour this without spilling it everywhere.

“So what is this stuff, sugar?” Eren asked, eyes focused on the cup. He didn't notice how Levi scrunched up his face up, watching the tea turn the same milky green that it always did.

“You wouldn't like it. They get it shipped here for me ‘cause I do.” There was a certain tension in his words that made Eren look up. Okay, maybe not the right thing to ask. He set the teapot back down and shifted it away from them before handing Levi his cup. He watched Levi take two small sips before giving a nod.

Eren sat there, unsure of what to do with himself. Should he leave and come back? Just wait until he finished drinking maybe? The room was silent, and he was afraid of making any sudden noises. Levi spared him a brief glance over his cup before directing his attention elsewhere. 

Silence stretched between them as Levi reclined against the wall, sipping his tea nonchalantly. Eren found himself staring at him, studying how he moved and the details of his face. How his nose scrunched slightly as he took a sip and his eyes closed as if he were savoring the moment. There was so much about him that he wanted to know, wanted to be trusted with. Levi wasn't an open book to anyone save for Erwin; he wanted that to change.

He was brought from his thoughts by the sound of the teacup hitting the tray, empty as it had been before. Levi cleared his throat briefly as he flexed his shoulder blades. A series of popping sounds came from his back and he grunted. Eren was absolutely mesmerized.

“Thank you for the tea, Jäger.” He mumbled, tone neutral as ever. He wouldn't let the joy he felt when it had been Eren to come in show through. He was the example here; he had to show that he wasn't phased by such small gestures and neither should he be. 

Eren began to scramble to his feet, but as he stood his feet stumbled over each other. He felt himself falling, arms windmilling frantically as he attempted to save himself. One hand knocked the teapot over while the other one hit the ground palm first. He didn't register the pain of his broken wrist at first, too preoccupied with the shock of his fall and the scalding hot tea that was all over him now. He was also hyper aware that he was laying on Levi.

There was tea splatters across Levi's chest, turning spots on his skin an angry red. His hand was reflexively braced against Eren's shoulder to catch him too late. Eren's face flushed, embarrassed and humiliated. Had he really just done that? Spilled tea on Levi and _fallen on him?_

“I'd appreciate it if you got off of me.” Levi grunted. His hand pushed at Eren's shoulder, and he sat back up on his knees. It was then that he felt a surge of pain in his wrist. He ignored it, instead scrambling to grab Levi's towel and wipe up the mess with his good hand.

“I'm so sorry about that, corporal.” The long sigh he gave and shake of his head didn't reassure him at all. Great, there he went fucking things up already. He wadded up the soaked towel and dropped it onto the tea tray before looking back at Levi.

“Let me go get another towel to clean you up.” Eren offered. He began to stand again--much slower and with much more caution this time--when Levi grabbed him by his broken wrist. A sharp pain shot through his arm and he winced. Well fuck, _that_ hurt.

“Sit back down Jäger. I don't need you babying me.” Reluctantly Eren fell to his knees again, cradling his injured hand. So his suspicion was right: Eren _had_ fucked up his arm. Levi grabbed him by the forearm, his grip much gentler this time as he pulled his arm towards his chest. He could see where the bone was misaligned through the skin.

“Here you are running around trying to help me when you need to be helping yourself. What, were you gonna just let it heal wrong? You need this to be set.” He deadpanned. His thumb stroked over the underside of his arm, brushing over his veins. Eren's downcast eyes were enough to tell him that was exactly what he had been planning to do.

Levi sighed heavily and reached forward to grab his arm with both hands, each one on either side of his wrist. He wasn't a medical professional, but it didn't take much to set a broken bone. From there his titan powers would kick in and do the rest. He gave no warning, no countdown or any sort of hint to what he was doing before pushing the bones back in place with one swift movement. Eren bit down on his lip, the pain obvious in his face.

“Thank you.” Eren's voice was uncharacteristically soft. Levi looked up to see him staring down at him. His eyes were focused on Levi's lips now, no longer worried about the tea or his wrist. Now his attention was solely devoted to Levi. He hated feeling watched, hated how this brat idolized him like he was some kind of god. Hated how he was cute and emotional and had a really cute mouth…

It was Levi who leaned forward to bridge the gap. He just wanted to taste his lips, to feel just how soft they were against his. Eren seemed elated; his good arm was slung lazily over Levi's shoulder. They were only kissing for a brief moment, long enough for them both to get lost in each other's touch.

When Levi pushed against Eren's shoulder, it took all of his strength to do so. Not physical strength but mental strength. He had forgotten just how good it felt to feel another’s embrace, to taste someone's lips on his own. And it was all this shitty brat’s fault. Eren couldn't even make eye contact with him now.

Eren braced his good hand against the wall and rose to his feet--slower this time, making sure that his feet weren't at an awkward angle. He stooped to grab the tray, putting the teapot and cup back into their places. Levi sat with his back pressed to the wall. It was stable, solid, and wouldn't make stupid decisions like kissing Eren Jäger. 

He didn't speak, one bowed his head and made his way to the door. Eren was forced to use his broken hand to open the door. Levi saw the pain on his face and scowled. Eren wasn't allowed to feel pain from some stupid injury.

“Hope your arm heals.” Levi said, leaning his head back against the wall. Eren didn't speak, but he saw the slight flush of color in his cheeks as well as the joy in his eyes. Eren looked happy. Levi liked seeing Eren happy.

Levi liked seeing Eren smile and laugh.

Levi liked seeing Eren.

Levi liked Eren.

_Fuck._


	4. New Writer Needed

Okay so I've officially lost all movitation to write this fic. If someone else wants to come finish it, please let me know. I'll hand over all the info I had planned out for this. So if you're interested in finishing this fic, message me on tumblr @nupitrr or twitter @bpd-nero. Sorry, I really have no desire to finish this fic anymore


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